1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vehicular rack locking mechanisms and, more particularly, is highly suitable for providing a universal vehicular ladder lock to secure one or more ladders onto a vehicular support rack.
2. Description of the Background
It is well know in the art to transport ladders on vehicles such as vans, panel trucks, and pickup trucks. It is also well known that there are many different types of vehicular racks utilized for this purpose. However, once the ladder is positioned on the rack, the ladder is often free to move about thereby producing objectionable noises, causing abrasive wear on the ladder and the rack, and being readily susceptible to theft. In more extreme cases, the ladder may even become detached from the rack, and fall to the ground such as during travel over rough roads. Even though there is a wide range of racks that are utilized for carrying ladders and/or other items, it would be highly desirable to provide a ladder lock mechanism that would operate with virtually any already existing vehicular rack system and thereby inexpensively correct the defects discussed above of the many different prior art rack systems currently being utilized.
Patents which may be related to the above issues include the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,791, issued Oct. 22, 1991, to Henriquez et al. discloses a vehicular ladder rack comprising a stationary mounting frame including a pair of transverse frame members affixed to the roof of a vehicle, a positioning assembly including a pair of positioning members affixed to opposite end portions of an elongated longitudinal positioning element rotatable between a first and second position coupled to the pair of transverse frame members and a ladder support frame including a pair of ladder support members movable between a first and second position to support a ladder thereon operatively coupled between the pair of transverse frame members and the corresponding positioning member such that a ladder is supported over the roof of the vehicle for storage and transportation when the elongated longitudinal positioning element and ladder support frame are in the first position and the ladder support frame is moved from the first to the second position when the elongated longitudinal positioning element is rotated from the first to the second position to move the ladder support frame from the first to the second position adjacent the side of the vehicle to permit a ladder to be mounted thereon or removed therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,750, issued Dec. 19, 1989, to R. K. Dainty, discloses a rack arrangement for supporting a load, for example above the roof of a vehicle body, and comprises a pair of substantially parallel elongate guide members each having a lower upwardly extending portion and an upper load supporting portion. A load carrier member is lockably connected to the guide members and is manually slidable from a lowered position upwardly along the lower guide member portions 3a onto the supporting portions to a load storage position. Means are provided for releasably retaining the carrier member in the load storage position, for example a cup-like recess, which locates the base of a handle for the carrier member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,387, issued May 2, 1989, to M. Audet, teaches that heavy materials such as ladders, pipes and the like are often carried on a roof rack secured to the roof of service trucks, vans and the like and of course are difficult to place on the rack and remove therefrom. The present device includes a carrier which can be extended and retracted relative to the rack and is hinged so that it drops down adjacent the sides of the truck when extended, to facilitate loading and unloading of the material carried by the rack. When hinged upwardly to approximately the horizontal position, it may be pushed towards the longitudinal center of the roof so that it telescopes inwardly thus supporting the material upon the rack. Automatic latches are included to detachably lock the carrier in the retracted position and snubbers are provided to space the carrier from the side walls of the van or truck when in the extended, substantially vertical position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,834, issued Apr. 21, 1981, to W. H. Nutt, teaches a vehicle roof rack which comprises a rack frame and a releasable clamping device for releasably clamping a ladder thereto. The clamping device includes a clamp arm which is pivoted to a rigid support and operated by a crank mechanism by moving across a dead-center position to clamp the ladder in place. Clamping members are resiliently supported on the clamp arm to engage the ladder and exert a clamping pressure on it.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,390,117 discloses a ladder rack for a vehicle roof which comprises a sub-frame having clamps for releasable attachment to the roof of a vehicle. The sub-frame carries front and rear ladder support assemblies each comprising transverse rollers for engaging the stringers of a ladder spanning the two assemblies. Each support assembly further comprises a respective ladder-retaining member manually pivotal about a transverse axis from a lowered inoperative position to a raised rung-engaging position. The front and rear ladder-retaining members are operated by a handle or handles pivoted at one side of the rear support assembly, either independently or simultaneously. Furthermore, the rollers of the front support assembly are mounted to be manually raised and lowered. A ladder spanning the assemblies may be brought into a downwardly and rearwardly inclined orientation for off-loading from the rear of the vehicle. The manual operation of the front rollers is independent of the manual operation of at least the rear ladder-retaining member, so that a ladder may be brought to the inclined position in preparation for unloading while still being retained on the rack by the rear ladder-retaining member.
The above-listed patents do not disclose means that solve the problems discussed hereinbefore. Consequently, there remains a need for a relatively inexpensive means for locking ladders to racks of many different types which may be utilized to provide safer and more reliable transportation of ladders on vehicles on already existing vehicular racks as well as newly designed racks. Those skilled in the art have long sought and will appreciate the present invention which provides solutions to these and other problems.
The present invention was designed to provide a universal ladder lock for use on a wide variety of vehicular racks.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved ladder locking mechanism.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a rugged and easily operable ladder lock which can receive a padlock or locking pin for securing a ladder with respect to a vehicular rack.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the drawings, the descriptions given herein, and the appended claims.
Therefore, the present invention provides a ladder lock for locking a ladder to a vehicular rack comprising elements such as, for instance, a mounting frame securable with respect to the vehicular rack and a lock housing secured to the mounting frame whereby the lock housing supports an upper guide and a lower guide. Other elements may include an elongate lock arm slidably mounted within the upper guide and the lower guide for sliding movement between a locked position and an unlocked position along an axis of at least a portion of the elongate lock arm and for rotation of the elongate lock arm about the axis. At least one lock element may be mounted to the elongate lock arm for movement therewith within the lock housing. The lock element may be sized for stopping engagement with the upper guide thereby preventing/limiting the sliding movement of the elongate lock arm in one direction. As well, the lock element may be sized for stopping engagement with the lower guide thereby preventing/limiting the sliding movement of the elongate lock arm in an opposite direction. Furthermore, one or more lock receptacles may be formed on the lock housing. The lock receptacles may be operable for receiving a locking member such as a padlock or locking pin to thereby limit the sliding movement of the at least one lock element and the elongate lock arm to lock the ladder to the vehicular rack.
Other elements may include, for instance, a hook at one end of the elongate lock arm wherein the hook is U-shaped and sized to fit over the ladder. A handle may be provided at an opposite end of the elongate lock arm from the hook wherein the handle may further comprise a nonmetallic or relatively soft material. In one embodiment, the elongate lock arm may further comprise a rod with a circular cross-section. A brace may be provided between the mounting frame and the lock housing such that the lock housing is mounted at an angle with respect to the mounting frame. In one embodiment, the brace is adjustable for adjusting the angle between the mounting frame and the lock housing.
In other words, a ladder lock may comprise elements such as a mounting frame, an upper guide and a lower guide secured with respect to the mounting frame, a lock arm slidably mounted within the upper guide and the lower guide, at least one lock element mounted to the elongate lock arm for movement therewith, and one or more receptacles affixed with respect to the mounting frame which may be operable for receiving a lock member to thereby limit the sliding movement of the lock arm to thereby lock the ladder to the vehicular rack.
A method for making a ladder lock is provided which comprises one or more steps such as, for instance, providing a mounting for securing the ladder lock with respect to the vehicular rack, slidably mounting a rod section within a first rod guide and a second rod guide such that the rod section is longitudinally and rotatably moveable within the first rod guide and the second rod guide, providing a hook at one end of the rod section for looping around a portion of a ladder, securing at least one stop member to the rod section to limit travel of the stop member between the first rod guide and the second rod guide, and providing one or more lock member holders adjacent the rod section such that when a lock member is positioned within the lock member holder that the stop member prevents longitudinal movement of the rod section to thereby lock the ladder to the vehicular rack.
Other steps may include affixing a tubular housing to the mounting such that the rod section is moveable within the tubular housing, affixing the first rod guide and the second rod to the tubular housing, forming the one or more lock member holders within the tubular housing fashioning a hook on one end of the rod section, and/or fashioning a handle on one end of the rod section.